Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has expressed shock over the defection of former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“It is unbecoming and shocking for the running mate to the standard bearer of a leading party to abandon ship to join the ruling party,” Saraki said in a statement.
“These developments in the polity are the reason why I have always canvassed the idea that we should emphasize building and strengthening our institutions and not individuals.”
Okowa was the running mate to the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar.
The former governor, along with his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the deputy governor, Monday Onyeme, and other top Delta State government officials, defected from the PDP to the APC on Monday.
Despite the defection, Saraki said even if the PDP has only ten governors, it still stands a chance of winning the 2027 election.
Saraki assured the PDP supporters that ,despite the defections in Delta State, he and other leaders would remain and reposition the party to be a formidable opposition.
He appealed to the party’s leaders who still want to leave the party to do so now so that those of them who want to remain can concentrate in rebuilding it.
“My view is that those who want to leave the PDP should leave now and let the rest of us who want to stay concentrate on rebuilding the party and refocusing it to play the role of a viable opposition that will provide a better alternative for the good people of Nigeria,” Saraki said.
“I am convinced that it is important for all Nigerians to work for the sustenance of democracy. And to sustain democracy, there must be viable choices for people at every point. Also, there must be a viable opposition to keep people’s hope alive and create credible alternatives to keep the government on its toes.”
